Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Metal-Organic Polyhedra (MOPs) are a recently-identified class of porous polymeric material composed of highly selective assemblies exhibiting large surface areas and composed of metals linked through organic groups. MOFs are focus of research for a range of applications such as “host” molecules for gases and other molecules. In addition, due to their high porosity MOFs allow the “host” molecules to be captured inside their structure. The trapped molecule can then be part of a selective chemical reaction.
Despite the newness of this field, gas sorption properties of MOFs suggest many practical applications. For example, the application of MOFs-polymer mixed matrix membranes such as polyimides has been demonstrated. The MOFs allowed the polymer to infiltrate the pores of these structures, improving the interface and mechanical properties of the polymer. Also of recent interest has been the utilization of MOF films on stainless steel fibers for solid-phase microextraction of volatile and harmful benzene homologues. MOFs selectively adsorbed methane; therefore mixed matrix membranes from MOFs and poly (3-acetoxyethylthiophene) (PAET). The results showed that when compared to the pure polymer, the mixed matrix membranes exhibited enhanced methane permeability.